Shock-absorber



P. DU 0RD.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION HLEDKMAY 2o. 1919.

1,378,665. I Patented May 17, 1921.

,4 TTOHNEYS .UNITED STATES PATl-:N'r OFFICE.

PETER DU FORD, OF ONTARIO, OREGON.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 17, 1921.

Application led May 20, 1919. Serial No. 298,449.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that l, PETER DU FORD, a cltizen of the United States, and a resident of Vprovision of shock absorbing l-ieans for use in connection with or Without the ordinary leaf spring, either semi-elliptic or full elliptic,whereby to increase the range of rela.

tive movement of the spring controlled parts, and more completely absorb the shock of movement through the augmented range,

without curtailing or impairlng the normal function and operation ofthe leaf spring where present.

It is a well-known fact that in order to carry the weight. of a vehicle body and allow for considerable variation in load the usual leaf springs must be made so heavy as to preclude the desiredelasticity.

My invention will automatically take care of the variation in load and supply the desired elasticity by the use of a volute spiral compression spring used in connection with a device on a vehicle using the flat leaf springs running fore and aft with the vehicle and may be used without interfering with the leaf spring. When applied to a vehicle not having the ordinary leaf spring, a rigid bar is utilized, one'end of the bar being pivoted tothe frame of the vehicle, and the y other end of the bar being arranged for the volute spiral compression spring. after vthe manner of use with the ordinary flatv leaf spring as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating my invention and .forming a part of the specification,

Figure 1 is a side view applied with the ordinary leaf spring;

Fi 2 isa cross section taken on line 2-2 of F1g.1;and

Fig. 3 is a side View illustrating the adaptation of the invention where the ordinary leaf .spring is not available.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the usual leaf spring is indicated at 10, connectedl at one end to the side bar 11 of the vehicle at 12. In the illustration the leaf spring appears as of semi-elliptic form, but it should be understood that it may be a full elliptic through toggle levers 14 and 15, the former j of which is substantially H-shapedv as seen 1n Fig. 2 and is respectively pvoted at itsA upper and lower ends by bolts 16 and 17, to the plates 13 and the lever 15. `The lower lever 15 is U-shaped and is pivoted at its lower end` by a bolt 18 to the leaf' spring 10 the latter of which is intermediately, seated on and secured to, the axle 19, as usual.

-Around the pivot bolt 17 between the levers 14 and 15 is., coiled a spring 20 whose ends are extended vertically and provided with hooks engaging the levers 14 and 15 intermediate their ends.

Adjacent to its end bolt 18, the leaf spring 10 is engaged by the cross-bolt 21 situated intermediate the end of a bearing bracket 22, one end ofV which extends beneath the spring 10 in engagement therewith and the opposite end of which projects beyond the spring 10 and has a seat 23 for the lower end of a volute spiral compression spring 24, the upper larger end of which is securely fastened to the frame bar 11.

Adjacent to its end bolt 18, the leaf spring 10 is also provided with an upwardly facing spring seat 25 engaged by the lower end of a second volute spiral compression spring 26 whose upper larger. end is securely fastened to the frame bar 11.

Thus, by virtue of the toggle levers 14 and 15 whose outward flexing is assisted by the spring 20, the respective end of the usual leaf spring 10 is given a much greater range of movement than at present, and this augmented range of movement is controlled by the springs 24 and 26 capable of taking up the shocks of inequalitiesv in the road bed. It is obvious, however,l that while capable of performing their functions in an effective, eflicient manner, these additional springs 24 and 26 operate without destroying or impairing the ability and normal purpose of the leaf spring 10 to act as occaslon arises.

Referring now to Fig. 3, I have shown the invention as applied to a Vehicle frame not using the ordinary leaf spring, in which case I preferably provide an elongated rigid metal bar 28 pivotally connected at one end to a bracket 29 lrigidly connected to the frame bar 11a, and securely clamped at 30 adjacent to its opposite end, to the axle 19, in connection with a support 25a in the lower end of the volute spiral compression spring 26, the upper end of which bears against the frame bar l1a in the same manner as previously described. The extremity of the bar 28 projecting slightly beyond the axle 19a is connected by toggle levers 14 and 15a to a bracket 18a also secured to the frame bar 11a, so that in this way itis obvious I am enabled to apply the invention either with or without the usual leaf spring as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Claims:

l. The combination with a leaf spring, of toggle levers yieldingly suppo-rting one end thereof, and means for controlling yielding movement of said end of the spring including a bearing bracket connected to, and projecting beyond, the spring end, and a volute spiral compression spring engaging the said bracket beyond the leaf spring.

2. The combination with a leaf s ring, of means yieldingly supporting one en thereof, and means for controlling yielding movement of said end of the spring including a bearin bracket connected to, and projecting beyon the spring end, and a volute spiral compression spring at opposite sides of they said end of the leaf spring, one of which engages the leaf spring and the other of which engages said bracket.

3. The combination with a main leaf spring, of levers exibly supporting the same at one end, coil springs at opposite sides of said levers, one of which directly engages the main spring, and a bracket connected to the main spring and engaged by the other coil spring.

4l. The combination with la main leaf spring, levers connected to one end thereof, a volute spiral compression spring having bearing on the leaf spring adjacent to its said end, a bracket intermediately connected to the leaf spring adjacent to the said end, said bracket havin a portion underlying the said spring an projecting at one end beyond the spring, and a volute spiral compression spring havingvbearing on the last mentioned end of the bracket, as described.

5. The combination with a vehicle frame and leaf spring directly connected to the frame at one end, of a pairof plates secured to and depending from the frame, an H- shaped lever pivotally connected to, and depending from, the said plates, a U-sl1aped lever pivotally connected at its upper end to Said l'irst lever and similarly connected at its lower end to the other end of the leaf` pivotally connected at one end to said frame,

of toggle levers flexibly connecting an opposite end of said flexible-supporting member with the frame, and a volute spiral compression spring disposed between the frame and said spring supporting member adjacent its flexibly connected end.

PETER DU FORD. 

